Bridge to the Sun

Bridge to the Sun

#MovieNight @KimonoWineBar in #Tokyo

We watched ‘Bridge to the Sun’ which is based on the true story of  Gwen Harold, who in 1931 married Hidenari “Terry” Terasaki, a Japanese diplomat.  The movie stars Carroll Baker and James Shigeta.

When it comes to #STuffAHalfAsianLikes pretty high on the list is anything about interracial marriage or relationships, especially between an Asian and and other.   And when you think about it… there are not many films about Asians married to another race, especially Asian men.

This movie was black and white so that puts it pretty far back in terms of when it was filmed.  To think it is about World War 2 and about interracial marriage makes it pretty darn controversial in my mind.  Most World War 2 films I’ve seen do a lot to glorify war, but this film doesn’t.  Mr. Terasaki was loyal to his country of Japan but believed in peace and did what he could to promote it.  It’s said that he used his daughter’s name (Mariko) as a secret code to discuss plans with the pacifist party to try and avert war.

“In 1981, Mariko, a book by the well-known nonfiction writer Kunio Yanagida, was published in Japan. And, on Aug. 15 that year, the anniversary of the Japanese surrender, NHK (public) Television presented a three-hour docudrama about Miller and the experiences of the Terasaki family. This film, described as profoundly anti-military and anti-war, caused a sensation in Japan and was viewed by an estimated 80 percent of the population. ”

http://www.etsu.edu/etsu/news/20000123.htm

My mom saw the TV program and was so moved that she ended up naming me after the mixed daughter Mariko.

The movie is hard to find but sometimes they play it in the US on Turner Classics.  It is corny at times but actually pretty accurate in many ways.which I found this to be not only surprising but when you realize that nothing has been made since then on this topic and time period it makes you think.

This Half-Japanese gives the film two thumbs up!  That’s one Japanese thumb and one American thumb

Peace.